Viewing life from God’s perspective

Through the years of searching, I have found that the greatest gift a person can have is the ability to see and live life from God’s perspective.

It is similar to the “what would Jesus do” thinking or asking yourself, “How does Jesus see this?”

It is like what Paul says in Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

It may sound ironic and paradoxical, but being “crucified with Christ” is crucial to experiencing the life that Jesus Christ offers. It means being transfixed into living in love and forgiveness as Christ is.

It is also like what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Jesus Christ clearly said that it is not only “seeking the kingdom of God”. One must seek his righteousness, as well.

It is both the kingdom of God and his righteousness for “all these things” to be added unto you.

Reminder: Fellowship lunch on 3 August

Let’s bring food to share at our Fellowship Lunch after the worship service on Sunday, August 3, to celebrate significant life events such as birthdays and anniversaries.

It is also an occasion to welcome those who have joined us lately. Friendly people of OBC, please take the time to get to know one another, especially those who are new to you.

Ray will be the guest speaker at the Men’s Breakfast on August 9th.

Baptist church men, please take note of the Men’s Breakfast on 9th August, 8:00 AM at the Lagonda Cafe.

Oamaru Baptist Church is the sponsor of the 9th August Men’s Breakfast. Let us (all Baptist men) attend and meet other men in town. The breakfast menu is shown in the picture above.

Your hopes and dreams for OBC

I want to invite all who come to Oamaru Baptist Church to worship, participate in the life and ministry of the church, and “pin” your hopes and dreams for OBC.

On the board at the tea area, I have posted the diagram, “Oamaru Baptist Church – Hydropower Plant Analogy”.

I want us all to participate in fulfilling the aims and functions of the church by writing on a piece of paper your hopes and dreams for OBC. I have provided pens and paper (white sheet or yellow-green post-its) in the adjacent table.

Celebrating our 142nd Founding Anniversary

On 10 August, Sunday, we will have picture-taking sessions as part of our our 142nd Founding Anniversary celebrations.

On 13th August 1883, at a meeting held in the Lecture Hall of the Athenaeum, the Church was formally constituted with a foundation membership of 23.

August is the month we celebrate the founding of the Baptist Church. We have designated the 17th of August as our Foundation Sunday celebration. I have invited Peter Rodwell to be our speaker.

Please note our celebration schedule. The current part of the founding anniversary celebration involves pinning our hopes and dreams for Oamaru Baptist Church.

Giving

We are truly grateful for your steadfast support of the ministries entrusted to us by the Lord God. Your generous contributions are vital in advancing our mission and enhancing the impact of His work.

If you want to set up automatic payments for regular giving or make a one-time donation via online banking, please use the Oamaru Baptist Church account number at ANZ: 06-0941-0015036-00.

Thank you for being an essential part of our church’s journey. May the Lord God abundantly bless you and lovingly watch over you.

“To serve and not to be served”

“To serve and not be served” is a crucial phrase that Jesus Christ told his disciples when they discussed James and John’s request to sit at his right and left in his glory, as well as who should be the greatest in God’s kingdom.

However, the phrase doesn’t end there; he added that in addition to serving, he is to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus said in Mark 10:43-45 (paraphrased): In contrast to this, anyone who aspires to be great among you must become your servant, and anyone who wants to be first must be the servant of all. Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

May the joy of serving God and others be the unwavering theme of our hearts, guiding us as we worship Him and lovingly serve through His people.

OBC is holding an Evening Service on 20 July @ 6:30 PM

On Sunday, July 20, we will hold two worship services: one at 10:00 AM and one at 6:30 PM.

We currently hold evening services every other week. It is a blessing and an inspiration to hear testimonies from our evening worshippers, which is something our morning worship attendees would also like to hear.

In the spirit of the phrase “to serve and not to be served,” I encourage our regular worship attendees to support our worship services (both morning and evening) by volunteering to assist with various aspects of conducting the services.

We need singers, instrumentalists, door greeters, worship leaders, servers, and many more.

Thank you very much.

Morning Tea for Everybody at OBC

You are invited to come for morning tea at the Oamaru Baptist Church Tea area on Tuesday, 22 July at 10:00 AM.

This tea event is an opportunity to spend moments with people of all ages—a chance to get to know our fellow mates.

Come for some fun and fellowship!

Ray will be the guest speaker at the Men’s Breakfast on August 9th.

Baptist church men, please take note of the Men’s Breakfast on 9th August, 8:00 AM at the Lagonda Cafe.

Let us all support Ray as he shares his message. The cost of the breakfast will be published soon.

Fellowship Lunch on 3rd August

Let’s bring some food to share on Sunday, August 3rd, to celebrate our brothers and sisters who have completed Book 1 of the Life of Christ.

We want to celebrate special life events from recent weeks and months, and to welcome those who have joined our worship and fellowship warmly.

Holding fellowship lunches is also about team-building, where we volunteer to prepare, serve, and help with the aftercare tasks. Please be ready to participate.

TEE Life of Christ Book 1 finishes on 27 July

The TEE-ers or Lifers are just one unit away, Unit 10, from finishing Book 1 of the Life of Christ (LOC).

They will tackle Unit 10, the final unit, on July 27. Then we will have two weeks of review before the Final Exam on 10th August.

Meanwhile, let us celebrate and honour them with a fellowship lunch on 3rd August. We will also hear from our Lifers their testimonies and lessons learned from LOC Book 1.

Giving

We are truly grateful for your steadfast support of the ministries entrusted to us by the Lord God. Your generous contributions are vital in advancing our mission and enhancing the impact of His work.

If you want to set up automatic payments for regular giving or make a one-time donation via online banking, please use the Oamaru Baptist Church account number at ANZ: 06-0941-0015036-00.

Thank you for being an essential part of our church’s journey. May the Lord God abundantly bless you and lovingly watch over you.

Our church is fearfully and wonderfully made, too

King David declares his praise in Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Can we also declare David’s Psalm 139:14 praise for the church as also “fearfully and wonderfully made”?

Vaughn, my colleague in Timaru, shared a 1928 Substack entry by Jeff Haines about “Andrew Johnston, the Blind Evangelist“, which begins with a narrative about the evangelistic campaign at the Oamaru Baptist Church in March 1928.

Rev. A. Clarke, the OBC pastor, detailed Andrew’s ministry. The morning communion service and evening service were well attended, with the evening service being packed to the doors.

Please read more by clicking the link below. Thank you!

New Mid-week Praying Meeting Time

After some consultations, our weekly prayer meeting will continue every Thursday but at a different time. Starting 5 September Thursday, we will meet at 1:30-2:30 PM.

Take the time to join us in prayer. Corporate prayer is crucial in the church’s life, as it expresses dependence and humility before God.

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

PRAYER NOTES

Do you have some prayer requests? Write them on the “Prayer Notes.”

Upon entering our building, you will find the “Prayer Notes” on the table to your left.

Submit your prayer requests in the designated box at the auditorium. We will pray for your requests during our Sunday morning service and mid-week prayer meeting.

Please note that items that are private in nature need not be written. You may approach the pastor or pray with someone you trust. Come to our prayer meeting

September Activities to Watch Out

TEE Session on Sunday at 1:00 PM

Our TEE (Tools to Equip and Empower) Session will resume on Sunday, 8 September, at 1:00 PM. May I remind the participants to answer Lesson No. 11 of the Abundant Life workbook?

Those who are interested in joining for the first time, please speak with me so I can provide you with a workbook and some orientation.

“Life of Christ” Discipleship Facilitators’ Training

As part of our discipleship program, we are launching another training on 25-27 October 2024. This is a follow-up training that the TEE Aotearoa Team will conduct at OBC.

“This 6-book course is the main work of SEAN and is an integral training course for Christian workers, based on the life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of Matthew and The Acts of the Apostles.”

“The self-study lessons are written for students to do at home and then meet once a week for a group study with a study group leader to share and apply what they have learned to their lives and ministries”

CLICK TO READ MORE

Men’s Breakfast on 14 September – 8:00 AM

The Miraculous Renewal of Spring: A Biblical Reflection

You visit the earth and give it rain;
you make it rich and fertile.
God’s streams are full of water;
you provide grain for the people of the earth,
for you have prepared the earth in this way.
Psalm 65:9

As nature awakens from its winter slumber, we witness a divine transformation that manifests God’s glory and love.

In the Bible, we find numerous references that reflect on the miracles of spring and offer spiritual insights. 

Let us explore some biblical reflections on the miracle of spring.

It’s NZ Daylight Time tomorrow, 24 September 2023

Please don’t forget to change your clocks forward 1 hour to New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT).

A handy tip is to change your clocks the night before daylight saving starts – forward 1 hour, for example, from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Internet providers will set the time on your mobile phones and computer devices. So, you only need to be at OBC at 10:00 AM NZDT.

1 October Sunday Fellowship Lunch

On 1 October 2023, let us have a fellowship lunch to celebrate all our September birthdays, anniversaries, and guests. Let’s bring some food to share.

The fellowship lunch is also an opportunity to develop teamwork and friendship before, during, and after the meals.

Please feel free to help prepare the dining venue, food preparation, dishwashing, and aftercare.

“Abundant Life” Dynamic Discipleship at 1:00 PM, 24th September Sunday

On Sunday at 1:00 PM, we will discuss Lesson 7 in our “Abundant Life” study session. Jane and Arnel will be facilitating the session.

Please come with your workbook filled up and be ready to participate in our learning and sharing session. Everyone is welcome.

We are creating a multigenerational dynamic discipleship culture in our church, where the adults and children learn together.

Oamaru Men’s Breakfast

OBC men are encouraged to join the Oamaru Men’s Breakfast on 7th October at 8:30 AM at the Oamaru Salvation Army. The poster below gives more details.

Giving

Thank you for your continued support for the ministries the Lord God has entrusted us with. Your generosity means a lot for the development and progress of His work.

If you want to set up an automatic payment for regular giving or make a one-off donation via Internet banking, the Oamaru Baptist Church account number is (ANZ) 06-0941-0015036-00.

May the Lord God bless you and keep you.

Otago & Southland Baptist Association (OSBA) Forum and AGM

OSBA Forum and AGM – Saturday, 14 October, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Invercargill Central Baptist Church (11 Deveron St, Invercargill) 

Speaker: Chris Chamberlain

Chris is the Regional Leader for the Upper South Island (Canterbury and North) and transitioning-out senior pastor of Oxford Terrace Baptist Church.

He’ll share some OTBC stories in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes and the church’s community service and justice ministry.

NB: Yes, 14 October is the national election day. We encourage you to vote in advance and hang out with us! It is all very doable and has been done before. 

Please RSVP to Rachel by Wed 4 October 

Church Tasks Roster

The tasks roster is an opportunity for us to participate in the function and operation of our church in the areas of worship and service.

Please feel free to jot down your names on the rostering sheet on a table in the tea area.

Don’t hesitate to ask Bevan or anyone regarding any task you are interested in and if you need further information. Thank you!

Supplemental Readings

Here are some links to articles for your additional reading, meditation, and prayers.

• Local Mission – Central Otago Initiatives by OSBA
• Pondering: Myths about our history by John Davey